Cloth-cutting machine.



S. HARDY.

CLOTH CUTTING MACINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 11017.14, 190s.

Patented June 15 5 SHEETS-'sum1' 1.

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S. HARDY. CLOTH CUTTING MAGHINEx APPLIoATloN FILED Nov.14, 190s.

925,096. Patented June 15, 1909.

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S. HARDY.

CLOTH CUTTINGk MACHINE. APPLIGATION FILED Nov. 14, 190s.

Patented June'15, 1909.

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S.HARDY.

CLOTH CUTTING MAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV, 14

Patented June 15, 1909.

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TANLEY HARDY,

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S. HARDY. CLOTH CUTTING MAGHINE. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 14, 1908.

Patented June 15,1909.

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STANLEY HARDY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CLOTH-CUTTING MACHINE.

Application filed November le, 1908.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .Tune 15, 1909.

semi No. 462,550'.

To all whom fit may concern.'

Be it known that I, STANLEY HARDY, a citizen of the vUnited States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lOloth-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention consists in an improved machine for cutting cloth and the like, and especially designed for handling duck, such as is used in making awnings, tents, and similar articles.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, in which like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, the main frame being constructed of wood, 2 and 3 are side and top views, respectively, of the knife or scissors guide and connected parts, including' the scissors, both said -ligures being on an enlarged scale as compared to F 1 g Fig. 4 is an end view, looking from the right in Fig. 1 Figs'. 5 and 6 are detailed views of the slats or strips of the endless conveyer; Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the scissors and connected parts; Fig. 8 is an end view of the same, looking from the right in Fig. 7 Figs. 9 and 10 are detailed views, on an enlarged scale, of the cloth-clamping device l; F 11 is a view taken at a right angle to Fig. 9, Fig'. 1f? is a view taken at a right angle to Fig. 10; Fig. 18 is another' detailed view, on an enlarged scale, of the clothclamping device (the device being shown upside down), Fig. 111 is a detailed view of one form of device for advancing the scissors, Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a modified form of means for advancing the scissors, in which view the frame of the machine is shown as constructed of angle-irons Fig. 16 is a modilied form of scissors guide and connected parts; Fig. 17 is a sectional view on the line 17-17, Fig, 15, Figs. 18 and 19 illustrate a modified form of scissors advancer and retractor ,1 and Figs. 2() and 21 illustrate the position of same with relation to the endless conveyer.

The main frame of the machine may be made either of wood, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, or of metal, as shown in Fig. 15, in which case angle-irons 2 will be largely used.

A roll. of cloth 3 will be supported in any suitable manner from frame 1, and the cloth 4 extends past the scissors guide 5 and to the point on the endless conveyer 6 where are located the clamps 7, by which the cloth is attached to the endless conveyer. When., therefore, the conveyer travels from right to left in Fig. 1), it draws with it the cloth 11, as denoted by the arrow. The endless conveyer 6 is formed of chains 8 and slats or strips 9. Said chains travel in engagement with sprocket Wheels 1() supported by the main frame of the machine. The conveyer extends from one end of the machine to the other, and the width thereof about equals the width of the machine. One pair of sprocket wheels 10 is located at one end of the machine, spaced apart about the width of same, and another pair at the other end, and similai-ly spaced away from each other.

A hollow member, preferably in tubular form, constitutes the guide 5, on which is mounted the oscillating scissors blade 11, pivoted at 12 to the slidable scissors blade 13 carried by the block 111 adapted to slide lengthwise within the guide 5, said blade 13 projecting through slot 15 in said guide. The roller 16 is eecentrically fast-cned at 17 to the shank of blade 11, and, when cord 18 is pulled and causes block 1.11- and blade 13 to move forward, roller 16 rolls upon the periphery of guide 5, and, due to its eccentric connection with blade 11, causes same to work up and down, and the forward part thereol to cooperate with blade 13 for cutting purposes, like the two blades of a pair of scissors. In an ordinary pair of scissors, however', both blades move more or less, while in this construction blade 13 is stationary relative to blade 11. Cord 18 serves to advance the scissors to cut the cloth,

while spring 19 retracts same after that operation. The guide 5 is fastened to one of the slats 9, and, therefore, extends transversely to the conveyer 6, the cloth l passing over slot 15, and thus partly around guide 5, and being thus in position in advance of the first movement of the scissors; When cord`18 is pulled, the scissors cut across the cloth L1 until the end piece thereof has been severed from the main body coming'from roll 8, at which time the pull upon cord 18 automatically ceases, and spring 19 causes the automatic return of the scissors to its initial position. The end of cord 1S protrudcs from the hollow guide member 5, and is fastened to the slat on which the guide 5, in which it operates, is fastened, thus forming a loop of said end. A pivoted and spring-pressed finger 20 is fastened at such point on the main frame 1 of the machine that, at the exact point where it is desired that the cutting ot the cloth shall begin, said ringer catches in the loop formed ol' the end of cord 13, which, by reason of the onward travel of the conveyer 6, pulls block 14 and the carried scissors forward in guide 5 transversely across the machine, said scissors cutting the cloth as it goes. Finger 20, being pivoted, is capable ot moving downward from the position shown in Fig. 14 when the pressure oll spring 21 is overcome by reason of the fact that block 14 ceases to advance when lug 22 strikes on stop 23. Instantly upon such depression of linger 20, it becomes disengaged from the loop 24 ot cord 1S, and, under the pressure ot spring 21, returns to the position shown in Fig. 14, while spring 19 similarly retracts block 14 and the carried scissors to the position shown in Fig. 2. Then the cloth has been cut, it falls on table 25 located underneath the endless conveyer 6, or upon the iloor if there be no table present, or it may fall upon some other endless conveyer (not shown) which will carry it to some other lace.v The endless conveyer 6 is driven by pulley 26 mounted on the shaft 27 by means of belt 2S, or any other suitable source ol5 power, and is preferably so driven continuously.

It may be desirable to cut pieces ol cloth of different lengths with this machine, and, in order to do so, the number of scissors mounted thereon may be varied, and their distance apart altered or regulated, accord ing to desire. There may thus be only a single guide 5 and accompanying scissors mounted on the endless conveyer, or there ma be a plurality oi' same. In case there be a p urality ol' scissors, a plurality o'll pairs ol clamps 7 must, also, be provided. The length of the piece that will be cut is determined by the distance ol said clamps from the scissors. Thus, the continuous rotation of conveyer 6 causes the clamps 7 to pull the cloth over the guide 5 'lrom roll 3, and, likewise, the continuous movement ol' said conveyer brings loop 24 into engagement with finger 20 on the main frame, while the continued travel oi' said conveyer results in pulling on the remainder oi" cord 1S in such manner that block 14 slides within guides 5 and causes the scissors to shear through the cloth, which is tightly stretched across guide 5 by reason ol' having been carried forward by clamp 7.

A iiat piece of metal 29 clamps the cloth to a slat or strip 9, being pulled tightly against the cloth to bind same to said strip by means of the arm 30, which is raised thereagainst by the 'falling oi' weight 31 attached to arm 32 in rigid connection with arm 30, said pair of arms 39 and 32 ilorming an elbow pivoted at 33 inv lugs 34, plate 29 being pivoted. in lugs 35 at 36 by means ol the arm 37 oi the elbow l'ormed by plate 29 and arm 37.

The device that has just been described is attached to a strip 9 by means o'l' sl'iank 38 that runs through slot 39 in such strip, a thumb-nut 40 serving to draw block 41 into said slot and to bind plate 42 closely against said strip. The cloth clamps are located upon any one ol the strips 9 according to the distance that is desired to be maintained between same and the next pair ol scissors, as thereby is determined Vthe length ol cloth cut o'tl the main body. Said clamps are, likewise, adjustable laterally, so as to clamp any width ol cloth, each clamp being movable in slot 39, when thumb-nut 40 has been loosened, shank 38 or block 41 being slidable in said slot.

As the endless conveyer 6 travels along, the weight 31 strikes on bar 43, prcdeterminedly located in a pair ol perl'orations 44 in horizontal members 45 ol'I the main irame of the machine, there being one such horizontal beam or member on each side o'lI the machine, and one ol' said pairs ol' periorations being located in each. lfllhen weight 31 strikes bar 43, arm 3() is thrown out of engagement with arm 37, so that plate 29 is allowed to Vl'all out of engagement with cloth 4. There may be a plurality of bars 43, but each one is so located with. reference to a pair of scissors that same will automatically disengage the cloth at some certain point and release same when the cutting operation has been completed. The first time the cloth clamps take hold ol'l the cloth, the cloth must be inserted between plate 29 and strip 9 by hand, but the subsequent operations are automatic. d ping ol' the cloth is occasioned. by the natural action oi weight 31 in causing, during the lower half ol' the travel oll the conveyer 6, arm 30 to rise into engagement with plate 29 and to lil't plate 29 into gripping contact with cloth 4. After a cutting operation has been performed, the end olI the length ol' cloth that has been severed Vl'alls upon the table 25, while the cloth clamps continue to travel torward, pulling said length oll cloth with them upon table 25, until weight 31, in traveling in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, strikes on bar 43, which may be located in any predetermined pair oi perlorations 44, whereupon, as heretofore explained, Y

that end ol' thecloth is released. .lhereupon, with the continued travel ol' the conveyer, when the cloth clamps reach the place where the conveyer passes over sprocket wheels 10 (at the lelt ol' Fig. 1), weight 3l changes its position by gravity, and i'alls so as to cause arm 30 to assume a position substantially perpendicular to the conveyer, which position it maintains until the time when the conveyer passes over the sprocket wheels at The grip- Y CJi convenient bearingl 'for sh;

theinitial end oll the machine. At that time, I

. i i Weight .El again changes its position by gravity, thereby causingl arni .50 to impact i against arm 37 l'orward ol' pivotal point 3G, thereb f lorcinO )late 2f) into eiisraecinont:`

i D u 1 i0 'D With the loose end oi clotn il lett hanging' i down alter the last previous cutting operaa tion by a pair el scissors. 'i'. i cloth, being" thus automatically `gripped a is pulled vforward with the conveyer the desired distance until another predeterinined cutting` ard. by the v to which is tightly fastened the end of c ir 1S, which may, it desired, as it makes its `t from guide 5, pass over anti-friction roller y 50. ll lien said rack-'fl heel 46 comes to the end of, and rides olii, said rack 4l?, spring" il? retracts the cutting' means through the hollov.' guide. The travel of the cutting means across the inaterial strc 'ched upon the conveyer is repeated as often said rack-r-:lreel Llo is allor. ed to contact with the interrupted rack portions 47. il. tlesliaped tube, or other hollouv member 5l, takes the place of hello?.

member or guide 5, but serves the saine purpose and the additional one ot receiving spring i9 rithout inaki it necessary to increase the viidth of the entire n v1aly,

achine n I as in the torni illustrated in lil f to provide a place tor spring' il n: i l the scissors guide. 'lhe .1 idth of ine v l Grill pass through the opposite arin ot the U from that conf* cord i8,

as slimvn in l* that arm olI the b-shaped tube "novrles a .El ri t lla mounting for rack vih i.

ln that form of the ina traine is made of angleron s, the bars 413 are formed, as shcon in l?, ith an elbow projecting up`^..aid therefrom and hooking, by means of lip 53, over the beam 45. Spring 5e loes `for arin 37 and plate 29 v2. hat bar hitting freight 3l does for arm 50, since, when v. eight 31 is moved so as to disengagc arm from arm 37, spring 54 cooperates to pull arm 37 in such direction as to move plate Z9 array from strip 9. Spring 5e, also, serves the purpose ot holding plate 29 in said position during that part of the travel thereof with the convey/er vfhen it would be undesirable for saine to be movable or to engage strip Q. Spring 54, therefore, holds plate 29 in suoli position that cloth l can pass in between saine and strip 9 prior to automatic clamping.

eee

Another modification ot the scissors advancing and retractinfg; means .is illustrated in Figs. i8 to Zi, in which a lazy tongs (for parallel levers) is substituted for the cord i3, and the block le is pushed fori-.ard in guide 5 by said parallel levers, instead ot being pulled by cord i8. 'i hc time for actuation of the scissors can, ith this device, be reguatcd to occur at any predetermined point definitely and predeterininedly located, upon .hich lever 57 strike as the endless conveyor travels touard saine in the direction indicated by the arrors in 2O and 21. "fhen said lever 57 strikes on stop 56, said .lover rotates on pivot 58 aeainst the pull of spring and, being iiXed to Wheel 60, causes said wheel also to rotate. Pins 5i and 62 project iron lazy tongs 55 and enter cam groove C3 formed in z'heel 60. .hus, when wheel 60 rotates 'from the initial position (show. n in Fig'. 18) rich the lazy tongs 55 is retracted, pins 6l and 62 travel to the extremities Oi' cam groove 53, thereby extending the lazy tongs and, by thus pushing;` block lll, advancing; ,is soon as such rotation olE necessary has been accomides past rod 56, and spring c@ and pins 6l. and 62 to their inital pos ion, thus closing the laf/,y tongs and retracting the scissors.

Having' thus described my said invention, What l clei ind desire to secure by YLettersIIA Patent is l i. ln a device ol the character described, the combination of a movable cutter-blade, pivoted betvfeen its ends and having' an ec centric actuator between. its pivotal point and one of its ends, and another cul;tcr'!i laile stationary relative to said movable cutterblade.

ln a device ol" the character described, the combination of a movable cutter-blade pivoted bevfeen its ends and having a traveline,` eccentric actuator between said pivotal point and the rear end of the blade proper and another cutte1.'blade stationary relative to said movable cutter-blade.

In a machine ot the character described, the combination of an endless conveyer and a cutter thereon adapted to travel transversely thereacross.

4. ln a device of the character described, the combination ot a hollow member, a block, a cutter-blade iixed to said block, a movable cutter-blade pivoted to said fixed cutter-- blade, and a roller eccentrically attached to said movable cutter-blade.

5. ln a device of the character described, the combination of a hollow member, a block, a cutter-blade iXed to said block, a movable cutter-blade pivoted to said fixed cuttertheir actuating means being carried upon the blade, a roller eccentrically attached to said movable cutter-blade, and means for ad.- vancing said cutter-blades.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a hollow member, a block, a cutter-blade iiXed to said block, a movable cutter-blade pivoted to said iXed cutterblade, a roller eccentrically attached to said movable cutter-blade, means for advancing said cutter-blades, and means for restoring same to their original position.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a reciprocal cutting means, an endless conveyer, and means actuated by said endless conveyer for advancing said cutting means.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of reciprocal cutting means, an endless conveyer, means actuated by said endless conveyer for advancing said cutting means, and means for returning said cutting means to its original position.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of an endless conveyer, means for driving same, cloth clamps arranged to support a material across the Width of said conveyer, and cutting means.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of an endless conveyer, means for driving same, cloth clamps, and cutting means adapted to travel transversely to the path oi said conveyer.

11,. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a main frame, a conveyer, cloth clamps arranged to support l a material across the Width of said conveyer', and means supported by said frame for unclamping said clamps.

12. In a machine `of the character described, the combination of an endless conveyer for carrying the cloth and cloth clamps borne by said conveyer, said clamps, and

saine adjustable and detachable plate.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination of an endless conveyer and a cutter adapted to travel transversely there-across.

la. In a machine of the character de-l scribed, the combination of a conveyer, a shank perpendicular thereto, a plate attached to said shank, said plate having two pairs of lugs, a clamping member pivoted in one of said pairs of lugs, and a Weighted clampactuating member pivoted in said other pair of lugs.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a conveyer and a cloth clamp adjacent thereto, said cloth clamp comprising a pivoted clamping member and a pivoted actuating member, said actuating member being arranged at a right angle to said clamping member and adapted to actuate same, said actuating member bearing a Weight.

16. In a machine of the character described, the combination of an endless conveyer, cutting means advanceable thereacross, a cord attached to said cutting means, and a finger for engaging said cord to advance said cutting means.

17. In a machine of the character described, the combination With the main frame of a conveyer supporting a cloth clamp and su porting an actuating means therefor.

18. n a machine of the character described, the combination with the main frame of a conveyer supporting a cloth clamp and supporting a pivoted and Weighted actuating means therefor, said actuating means being arranged at a right angle to said clamping means.

19. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a conveyer, an adjustable stop adjacent thereto, and a gravity-actuated clamping means part of which may contact with said stop.

20. In a machine of the character described, a conveyer and means for holding and releasing the material fed thereupon, said means being capable of operation by the force of gravity alone.

In testimony whereof I have aHiXed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

STANLEY HARDY.

Witnesses:

GLADYS WALTON, EDNA J. GooKEL. 

